NSW first state to ban betting on live-odds advertising

Live betting poses an increased risk to problem gamblers as it allows bets to be placed on impulse or in larger amounts to chase expected losses during a game.

NSW will be the first state to ban betting on live-odds advertising during sports matches to reduce the harms of problem gambling and ensure the integrity of sports betting, Acting Premier and Minister for Justice Troy Grant announced today.

Its promotion during sports broadcasts exposes a captive television audience that is likely to include children to gambling.

The ban on live-odds gambling advertising during sporting fixtures that are less than four hours long will take effect on 1 March 2016 and carry a maximum penalty of $5,500 for a breach.

“There is no doubt the sports betting market is becoming increasingly competitive as operators aggressively chase market share through promotions, so it’s important that regulation moves with the industry,” Mr Grant said.

“NSW is pioneering this new measure to ensure its regulatory environment does everything it can to promote a culture of responsible gambling and draw a clear line about what is acceptable and what is not.

In other measures to be introduced this year, NSW will align with national efforts to clamp down on match fixing and corruption through a model agreed to by Australian states and territories. The measures are:

A new offence with a penalty of up to $11,000 for a corporation and $5,500 or 12 months imprisonment for an individual if an unlicensed betting service provider offers bets on a NSW sporting event; and

Expansion of a current ban on advertising inducements to gamble so that it captures all types of inducements offered to NSW residents not just any “credit, voucher or reward” with a maximum penalty of up to $5,500.

The new measures will affect advertising on television and radio, and the NSW Government is awaiting the federal O’Farrell review into online gambling.